


Dark Horse

by SabrinaT



Series: Stallion [1]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Complete, F/F, sorry again you guys, violent thoooooooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:13:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23513707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SabrinaT/pseuds/SabrinaT
Summary: Tommy thought he had everything under control, until the fascist rally showed him he did not. Not only was Mosley a threat, but the death of Aberama Gold brought forth a threat that would make the extremists look like choir boys.
Relationships: Ada Shelby & Original Female Character(s), Ada Shelby/Original Character(s), Ada Shelby/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Stallion [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819309
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Surely the nazis were the only issue that needed dealing with, right? There wouldn't be anyone else: no Billy Boys, no Italians, no Jews, no nothing. Everything would be perfect, if only Mosley fucked right off and did not insist that fascism was the only way forward. The United Kingdom could not descend into the kind of chaos that warranted ghettos, mass murder, and work camps. No one in their right mind could vote for something like that, no one in their right mind could support something like that. That would be the worst possible mindset for the aftermath of the New York crash, and even someone who was borderline illiterate could see that. Besides, Tommy said so, and despite their grievances, Tommy was still the smartest of them. 

Well, the answer was no: the nazis were not the only issue that needed dealing with. In fact, they weren't even the most pressing issue for the Shelbies and their personal safety. That award would go to Georgia Gold, better known as Gigi. She was made even more terrifying by the fact that no one had ever seen the youngest of the Gold clan, although they'd heard bits of information here and then. This time, though, they'd been told that Gigi, along with a group of five people, was making her way to Birmingham. An eighteen-year-old girl coming to a city was normal, as was bringing some friends along was.

Only Gigi Gold was not interested in partying. What she wanted was her father's corpse, and revenge. Revenge against the nazis? No. Revenge against whoever killed her father? Maybe. Revenge against the Billy Boys? No, that was dealt with. Revenge against the family which had gotten her father killed? Yes. That logic was probably flawed, but she obviously did not give half a shit. In her head, Aberama had been hired by the Shelbies, had even gotten engaged to one of them, and then had gotten killed while at their service. Same went for Bonnie, her only brother. Now, the average eighteen-year-old traveller woman knew her way around horses, but her main skill had to be pushing out healthy children. That being said, was this an impending threat? A serious threat on their lives? Well, yes, yes it was. Because Georgia Gold was classed as a psychopath by the good people of Swansea, where she used to camp out. The newspapers were obsessed with the creature, selling copy after copy with rumours and even with some truth, when something of the criminal sort happened. 

Knowing the girl was on her way caused for a rush toward Shelby Manor: Finn ran, Arthur took his son Billy by car, and even Ada and Karl decided to come up from London. 

"Why would she do this?" Ada asked, pacing around the living room, honestly thinking that it was all a bit too much. She'd read the news, and thought that it was hilarious that a person named Gigi caused such panic. 

"She's daddy's girl" Arthur joked, choking on the ice on his whisky. "She is rotten on the inside. Far more rotten than her dad"

"Rotten?" Finn asked, clutching his gun to his chest, looking at the windows as if Gigi Gold herself was going to come in through there and kill them all on sight. "What do you mean, she's rotten on the inside?"

"He means she goes on killing sprees when she's bored, and bathes in childrens' blood" Arthur replied, sitting on an armchair, with his son on his lap. Only then did the oldest Shelby realise his own son, and other three of those present, were children. "It's a rumour, it's not true"

"Fucks sake, Arthur..." Ada sighed, head on her hands. "Of course she doesn't do that" she added to Karl, who looked like he was about to cry. As for Ruby and Charlie, they seemed to be numb, probably a bit too used to their father being threatened.

“She does though” Tommy muttered, so quietly only Arthur heard him. “Not children’s blood, but she does bathe in the bloody of people who’ve wronged her. And that would be us”

“I’ll take the children upstairs” Lizzie exploded, barely believing the depth of shit they were now in. If some crazy bitch laid one single nail on her children, Lizzie would be the one bathing in the blood of her enemies, and that was a fucking promise.

“What can we do?” Finn asked, clenching his hands into tight fists, as to not let anyone else see he was shaking. “Anything? Will she get us, no matter what we do?”

“No, no. We’re ready for her, and Johnny Dogs managed to get a message to her. Gigi will parlay, we’ll have a chance to remind her that we too suffered great loss, and that…”

Tommy didn’t get the chance to finish what he was saying: the sound of horses arrived to the Shelby Manor library, and every single one of them rose from their seats, but remained paralyzed, frozen in their place, not knowing what to do.

“Sir, there’s a… a… a young lady at the door. She says you’re expecting her” Frances informed. She had been told there was a group of people expected to arrive soon, but didn’t know anything else. Perhaps the only piece of information she possessed that none of the Shelbies did was the appearance of the visitor, which had made her hesitate before letting the shockingly young woman enter the manor.

“I am. Please, send her in” Tommy responded, smoothing his shirt over his chest, and giving his family a final look before Frances returned. Their hearts beat in synch, in a rapid pace, their palms wet with sweat. Even Tom, the confident head of the business, and of their family too, seemed nervous. She would’ve been searched at the door, there was no idea she could bring weapons to the inside of his home, she had said she would parlay; but what if it all went to shit? What if… what if one of them didn’t leave that library? What if Gigi Gold was every bit the monster she was made out to be, and what if she decided to make an example out of them, out of the children? It had been so stupid to keep the kids at the manor, they should’ve gone to Finn’s, to Arthur’s, to the betting shop, to Johnny Dogs’ camp, to Charlie, anywhere but under the same roof as Georgia…

“You must be the Shelby family. It is an honour to meet you in person, thank you for welcoming me into your home” Gigi Gold said, entering the room and stealing the oxygen from everyone’s lungs. She was young, had dirty blonde hair, that became bright red near the tips. Her limbs were slim, like she didn’t eat enough, and never had; she had eyes the colour of the sky on a sunny day, and lips the colour of blood. Whether it was makeup or not, it wasn’t important: she looked like she wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone do things that warranted protection.

“Georgia… or is it Gigi? Which one would you prefer?” Tommy asked, the only one capable of functioning normally, and of walking up to the visitor and shake her hand.

“Whichever you prefer, mister Shelby” Gigi replied, looking around with a mildly interested look on her face. Her eyes lingered on Ada, and then on Finn, who had never been more uncomfortable in the days of his life. Not only was the way she looked at him enough to instil pure fear in his heart, but she looked at his face first, only to move on to his neck next, probably plotting to bite him and suck his blood. “Are these your siblings?”

“Yes, yes they are. This is Ada, that’s Arthur, and here’s Finn” Tom explained, signalling each of them. “We had another brother, named John, but he passed away”

“My condolences” the young girl said, shifting her attention from Arthur to Tommy. He offered her a chair, and she took it, soothing her dress over her thighs. The garment was black, a bit worn down in some places, but well made, nonetheless.

“We extend the condolences to you, Georgia. For your brother Bonnie, and your father. He meant a great deal to us, and to my aunt Polly in particular. He was a true friend of this family, and he is greatly missed” Ada decided to go ahead and get it out of the way.

“Thank you” the visitor said, bowing her head slightly. Whether she wore heavy black because she was in mourning, or it was just her colour of choice, none of them knew; what was for certain was that, upon further inspection, it was slightly stained near the hem. “I came to your home to discuss the matter of my father’s corpse. I understand he’s been buried in Birmingham cemetery”

“He has” Tom nodded, convinced that the lavish tombstone would appease the man’s family. “I can take you to see his resting place, if you’d like”

“Yes, I would appreciate it, thank you. But Thomas, you understand that I didn’t come all the way from Wales to see my father’s tomb. I can see that you do, and your siblings too” Gigi warned, crossing her legs at the ankle, and looking down at her riding boots, before looking at each of the Shelbies, one by one, again.

“I understand that, and that’s why I asked you here, so we could talk, before any rash decisions are made”

“It took me well over a week to get here, Thomas; my decision has been pondered, and thoroughly discussed” she countered, hands on her lap. The two of them looked like they were discussing a business deal, and not whether or not Gigi could go ahead and butcher every single member of that family, men, women, and children.

“And what is your decision, may I ask?” Arthur interrupted, unwilling to be left out of that conversation. How was it possible that Tommy hadn’t killed Georgia the moment she had crossed his property line? Why were they still talking, instead of shooting her?

“Who murdered my father, Arthur Shelby?” Gigi asked, shifting her attention to the oldest Shelby, and silencing him with the look she shot him. He no longer wanted to talk, he no longer even wanted to be where he was; he wanted to pick up Linda and Billy, and run to the furthest possible place from Birmingham.

“We don’t know that, Georgia, but we are working on finding out who it was” Tommy informed, clutching his glass of whisky. “All we ask is for some patience, some collaboration even; once we find who it was who betrayed us and killed Aberama, we will hand him, or her, or them, to you”

“Mister Shelby, I don’t think you understand: don’t you think I’ve waited long enough? Haven’t I got enough questions? My sisters are broken, mister Shelby. My sister Esmeralda cannot get out of bed, such is her grief. Bonnie was a sweet boy, and my father may have had his flaws, but he gave us life, and brought us up. We had already lost our saint of a mother, and now we lost a brother and a father. How do you think I feel, to know I lost two family members the second they started working for you?” Gigi asked, not blinking one single time.

“Will killing us solve anything? Will killing us bring them back?” Ada responded, desperate to know whether she would have to live in fear for the rest of her life, or even if she would make it through the night.

“No, I don’t believe it will, Ada Shelby. But wouldn’t you want revenge against the people who put your family in harm’s way?”

“Oh, please! Your father was a killer for hire, little girl. He would’ve ended up dead whether he worked for us or not” Ada dismissed, waving her hand to emphasize her words. “And your brother, Bonnie? With the fights and all that? We didn’t force him into any of that, and he would’ve been gone sooner or later”

“We would rather it be later, than at twenty-two years of age. How old is your kid brother? That one there, with the gun. How old is he?” Gigi enquired, signalling Finn with her head.

“I’m twenty-one” the boy ended up responding, his voice hardly noticeable at all, such was the fear running through him. Finn wasn’t exactly the bravest of the Shelbies, nor was he the sharpest; but one thing he knew for sure: he had a gun, and if his life was in any type of danger, he would have to gather his strength and so something against that demon.

“How would you feel if I shot him dead, right now? Wouldn’t you want me dead, Ada? Wouldn’t it be lush to see me bleeding out on the floor? Wouldn’t you want to rip my heart out and eat it raw for dinner?” Gigi hissed, getting closer and closer to Ada, who couldn’t help but to notice that what seemed to be a red hair tint was actually a liquid, something sticking to the other woman’s hair, making it that colour. And there was really only one thing which smelled like that, that looked like that.

“Yes, I would. And it’s still not too late for me to see it, if you do as much as lift a finger to any of my family, I will have it done and dusted before the day ends” Ada threatened, crossing her arms in front of her chest and looking Gigi Gold right in the eyes.

“Oh, I would love to see that” Gigi herself uttered, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Why are you the only one with a pair of balls, eh?”

“Don’t parlay with a man if you want effectiveness, darling. Come to me, and we’ll find a way to get this over with, in a manner that serves the both of us”


	2. Chapter 2

Being from Romani descent, and speaking Rokka quite well, Tommy and his siblings could pratically sense when a camp was nearby. There was this scent, this energy, almost an aura that was as characteristic as fingerprints. Johnny and his family, for example, still lived in the traditional way, despite having settled in Birmingham for the time being. It was a beautiful, communal form of living, one that was cherished by those close to it, and conducive to strong forms of family bonds. The new camp, however, wasn't as bright, as lively, or as big as a normal Romani camp would be. The wagons hadn't maintained the natural hues of the wood, but had been painted black, probably to match the horses, and the clothings of the inhabitants. There was a sad fire in the middle of the settlement, and some clothes on a line, but that was it. 

"A wagon each, almost" Tommy uttered, lighting his cigarette as him and his sister Ada approached the settlement. They'd given Georgia and her people a piece of Shelby land for them to stay, until Aberama's killer was found and brought to his daughter's justice. "There are six of them, and four wagons" 

"I can see that. Is there a couple amongst them? Siblings?" Ada asked, rightly convinced that Tommy had done his usual, thorough research on those people, like he did with everyone, especially people whom he settled inside his own properties. 

"I was led to believe there is a pair of twins within the group, but that's all I know" Tommy responded, looking around, expecting for someone to appear before he kicked down the closest door, and find Gigi Gold by his own means. 

"You're early" a voice said, somewhere in front of them. A second later, a tall young man emerged from the back of a van, sporting a top hat and a tuxedo. Why he had decided to wear such formal clothes for the occasion, they did not know, but it would soon become obvious that none of the participants in that particular enterprise ccared much for what others thought. If anything, the way they looked, and the way they dressed, was the least of anyone's concerns when the band came round somewhere. 

"Yes, we are, but just five minutes. You reckon Gigi can see us now?" Ada enquired, clutching her handbag and parasol, which she'd taken with her as a ready-made weapon. "She's expecting us" 

"Gigi! Gigi, there are some people here to see you, lass" the youth shouted, walking up to one of the smaller wagons and pounding on the door. "She most likely knows you're here, just can't be arsed to get up, if I'm being honest" 

"Oh, that's..."Ada started, but Gigi herself emerged from her mobile home and stomped down the two steps, her heavy boots covered in mud. 

"Wasn't sleeping. And you really are early" Gigi agreed, walking up to the two Shelbies and shaking their hands. The dress she wore as different than the one she had on when they had first met, but it had one thing in common with the other: the sleeves were too long, reaching the girl's knuckles. Her hair was also different, simply because it was now all the same colour, having lost the red that stained the tips. Even for someone who was used to deal in violence, the realization that Gigi Gold had entered his house with fresh blood dripping from her hair and clothes made Tommy a little bit sick to the stomach. "I can make some tea, but it will take time" 

"No tea, thank you. We won't be long" Tommy announced, following Gigi to her wagon, and taking a seat on the cramped space. The girl didn't have much to her name, but the wagon was clearly made for one person, and not three, including one grown man. When the door was closed, it was mildly comfortable, and warm as well, not to mention dry. 

"Why did the two of you come? I told you that I would negotiate with Ada, and we came to an agreement. I won't violate the terms and conditions of it, nor will I allow you to escape them" Gigi asserted, sitting on what seemed to be a makeshift bed, and getting rid of her muddy boots before crossing her legs. 

"Georgia, we don't intend on giving up before we find out who betrayed us" Tommy countered, taking off his cap and flattening his hair. "There is more at stake for us than there is for you. I can't allow the people who killed your father to remain on the loose"

"We're doing everything we can to answer your questions" Ada confirmed, a little less at ease than her brother seemed to be. "I don't know if you know, but our aunt Polly was engaged to your father, and she too is in great pain. She needs closure"

"Yeah, we knew that" Georgia sighed, her shoulders dropping. "I guess you could say dad had his favourite... and it was never me, or my sisters. But he did send a letter every once in a while" she confessed, surprising her guests, none of them expecting her to display any type of vulnerability, through the exposure of that bit of her private life. It was clear that she wasn't as young as she had seemed at first sight, not a child, but a girl of at least eighteen. Not only that, but it was sadly evident that she hadn't received much love, or known much comfort. 

"I don't think he was ever the same after Bonnie was killed" Ada agreed, biting the inside of her lower lip, a habit she had picked up as a girl. "If he didn'tlove Polly, I think that he wouldn't have survived it" 

"I'm sure he wouldn't. Mind you, I didn't mean he didn't love me, I think he did. But I turned out too much like him, my sisters turned out too much like my mother, and Bonnie was the only one who was special, who could be more than... have children, or..." 

"Or be a gun for hire" Tommy completed, stating clearly why he had gone to the camp. It wasn't a negotiation he intended, it was business. It was always business, when it came down to it, and this was no exception. 

"Is that what you think I do?" Gigi asked, the shadow of a giggle flourishing on her lips. "Kill people for money?"

"Not just me. The whole of Wales knows it" Tommy scoffed, interested in seeing how she would deny what was all over the news as she did as much as show herself in Swansea or surrounding villages. 

"You're wrong. I don't take money" 

"What do you take, then?" he asked in return, crossing his arms. "What do you want?"

"What do you want, Thomas? I'd need to know that, before I issue the invoice" Gigi chuckled, playing with the hem of her dress, and picking on a random scab on her knee. 

"I need..." he said, producing a list from his pocket and handing it over to Gigi. "...these men dead. They all live near here, so they shouldn't be hard to find. Make sure you leave quite a mess, so that the message can get to the appropriate people"

"And what have they done to deserve this?" Gigi asked, reading the list slowly, and turning the paper around to see if it continued. 

"Do you need to know?" Tom enquired, releasing a good deal of smoke from his cigarette. "Is that part of the invoice?"

"It is, actually. I don't know what you've been told, but I don't take money. I just want to know whether the people I'm gettind rid of deserve to be killed with my methods" Georgia simply informed, pulling her hair over her shoulder. 

"These men are associated with the Billy Boys, who killed your brother Bonnie" Ada explained, pointing out the list. "They came down from Scotland to be at hand, should they be needed. We want then dead, and we want you to do it, so that you can see we're serious when we say we'll find your dad's killer, or killers" 

"Like a peace offering? The plot of land was enough" Gigi laughed, shrugging emphatically. "I appreciate it. I'll see what I can do, alright? Any deadline?"

"No, no deadline. Take your time" Ada encouraged, unable to conceal the slight sparkle in her eyes at the thought of Gigi Gold maiming and killing bad people. One day, the day would come when Aberama Gold's killers would be brought to the same executioner, who would punish those who had broken Polly Gray. 


	3. Chapter 3

Tommy and Ada declined the invitation for lunch, and decided to depart. None of them felt very comfortable amongst the visitors, and although not even Gigi lifted a finger against them, the sense of impending threat was weighing heavy over their heads. Despite having an agreement, it was clear as day that they couldn't trust the girl and her minions to abide by human law, let alone common sense. 

"I wonder what will happen to those men" Ada mused, as they made their way back to Tommy's car. "I know they'll end up dead and at your doorstpe, but how do you think she'll do it?" 

"There are some pictures in Welsh newspapers you might want to look at" Tom responded, clenching his jaw as he walked. It was a terrible habit of his, along with grinding his teeth. "It almost always involves knives, I'd imagine" 

"How come she's never been caught?"

"She said it herself, didn't she? She only kills bad men" the head of Shelby Brothers Ltd. chuckled, hands on the wheel, starting the car. "I would imagine that the good people of Swansea don't have a problem with her, and she does sell a fair share of newspapers" 

"I don't trust her" Ada confessed, relieved to be driving away from Gigi Gold's camp. "I don't trust her, and I don't trust that man who was there when we arrived. I don't even trust her to honour our agreement"

"Romanis have rules, Ada. Rules that not even Georgia Gold can ignore. She made a deal with you, and I believe she will honour it. What we should worry about is what happens if we don't do our part. I, for one, am not any closer to finding who was able to undermine me, who managed to betray us. Meaning that I am no closer to finding out who killed that girl's father" Tommy had to admit, letting out a deep breath. "I don't like depending on people like this, but it's what needs to be done. Even without reading the articles, anyone who looks at her knows she's capable of killing us all, without even blinking. So we need to deliver to her what we promised, and if I have to come up with a scheme, or a lie, I will"

"We'll never feel safe again, will we, Thomas? You're in too deep, we are all in too deep" Ada sighed, more defeated than angry. She was almost ure Tommy knew it too, but sometimes he needed to hear it from someone else, he needed to hear it from her. "You can't just lie to her, she's not stupid" 

"I've lied to more powerful people than Georgia" 

"And look where it got you! Look at you, Tom! Look at you, and look at your family! We're falling apart, and it's only gonna get better once we clean up all the mess we've made. We cannot tell a grieving daughter and sister some half-arsed lie, it would only come back later to bite us in the arse. You have to understand that, Tom, don't you? And the shit with Mosley... I know it's almost impossible to let go of it, but you have to find a way, before we lose anyone else" Ada begged, tears in her eyes, hoping it was as simple as saying it to make it come true. 

"It's not that fucking simple, Ada! How the fuck can you say those things, as if they were possible? I can't just turn my back on Mosley, he will destroy me if I do. Do I need to remind you of what happened to the father of your unborn child? Do I need to remind you of when Charlie, my own son, was taken? It's never as simple as just talking over a glass of whisky!"

"You have to try! You need to try. At least tell me you'll try" she concluded, not wanting to push her brother any further. And when it came to Ben Younger, well... she would rather leave it on the back of her mind, buried deep within her brain, nothing but a memory, keep Freddie company. 

* * *

Gigi walked out of her wagon shortly after Tommy and Ada left. She was still barefoot, and didn't seem to mind the mud under the soles of her feet. If anything, it seemed natural to her, as was the gesture of picking up her dress to prevent it from becoming muddy as well. 

"What did they want? Who are they?" the man in the top hat asked. His name was Lucas, and his demeanour was that of mockery and laziness. 

"Thomas and Ada Shelby. They've employed us to kill some man associated with the people who killed Bonnie" Gigi simply responded, hands on her waist, made prominent by the corset she always wore. "They've also agreed to give me my father's killers" 

"So, long story short... you invited the people you came here to kill into your wagon" Lucas chuckled, sitting on the step of his own vardo. "Why?"

"I made a deal with her. I would wait a month for them to find the person who killed my father. In return, I would not kill any of them" 

"Do we intend on keeping our promise?" he enquired, extending a hand to help Gigi sit down next to him. "I'm asking not because I doubt your honour, but because I've never seen you accept others doing your job for you" 

"I never thought I would, but I've a feeling these people are moving in circles where we do not belong... although they are responsible for my father's death, they might not have pulled the trigger. The ones who did are probably men who attend tables we wouldn't even be allowed to serve. I have no clue on how to get to someone like that, but they do. I will serve my justice, eventually " Gigi explained, reaching for the flask Lucas offered. 

"He's quite handsome, isn't he? Thomas Shelby... Never thought he would be" Lucas said, furrowing his brow. He'd seen the man in photographs, but those didn't really denounce the sharp features and ice cold eyes the genuine product displayed. 

"Is he? Seems pretty dull to me. The sister, though... The sister, Ada. She has something to her that he doesn't. A spark, a strength. He's bitter, and altogether too calculating for my taste. She's the kind of woman who could lead the masses, who could yield a sword with one hand, and nurture a babe with the other" 

"Oh no, _rakli,_ don't tell me you write poetry now. Are you in love?" 

"What would I know about love, huh? Where would I have seen it?" Georgia asked, looking into the distance as she sipped on the lukewarm tea of the Lucas' flask. "Don't think I believe it, to be honest"

"Ah, but it's a beautiful thing. A very, very beautiful thing" Lucas let the sentence fade into nothing, remembering past days, where an orchard or an abandoned shed were enough to delight him, as long as a gentle pair of eyes and hands was there with him. Stolen kisses, stolen touches, stolen time from whatever chore needed to be done and dusted by nightfall. 

"I believe you" Georgia laughed in return, thinking to herself that maybe love could be beautiful, but so was family. If she didn't know about the first, she made up for it with knowledge of the second. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violent and graphic descriptions

Perhaps the point of Gigi's story wasn't to show Tommy just how vicious others could be. He fancied himself to be the meanest, the baddest, the most righteous, but he wasn't. He didn't have the most resources, he didn't have the most loyal of men, he wasn't God, and he never would be. Birmingham was his realm, but the importance of other realms superseeded that of his own. For example, Swansea was Gigi Gold's land, where she ruled the underworld, and did as she pleased, killing without mercy to maintain everything as she wanted it to be. And what she wanted was for criminals to die, to die at her hands, to leave those with no money or resources live their life with peace and fairness. Those were the conclusions Ada Thorne arrived to, upon driving to the library to see some of the newspapers Tommy had mentioned. Of course there were pictures of mangled bodies, of dettached body parts, of pools of blood enough to fill a bathtub... Maybe Georgia did bathe in the blood of her enemies, but she didn't seem to kill children, by the looks of it. Adults were fair game, though, of both genders: a brothel mistress, guilty of enslaving boys and girls alike; the owner of an illegal casino; a butcher who sold expired meat; and a good number of men and women who were abusive toward their partners, family members, etc. 

Tommy requested everyone to stay at his own home until the whole mess at the rally had been worked out. He didn't know who to trust outside his family and staff, and wasn't about to risk his luck again. During dinner, when the children had been taken to their rooms, Ada relayed the information she had gathered to Finn, Arthur, and Lizzie, who let the shock come through to their expressions. 

"Any progress on the rally business?" Arthur asked, looking a million years older than before. 

"Not yet, but we will get there. Whoever it was that put us at risk will come out, sooner or later" Tom responded, sitting back on his chair, deep bag under his eyes. "Within the month, I will deliver what needs to be delivered to Georgia, and she'll be on her way and out of mine" 

"Tommy..." Ada meant to advise, but her brother didn't let her say anything. 

"I will do what's best for this family, and I don't care what any of you say. I will keep everyone safe, and I will do it the way I've always done it!" Thomas roared, banging his fist on the table, causing his glass to topple over and shatter. "Would it be too much to ask to just have some peace and quiet at my dinner table? Why would you go and look for the news on that girl? She's unbalanced, and if I had my way, if you hadn't started making stupid deals, I would have killed her as soon as she turned her back" 

"You wouldn't!" Ada replied in the same tone of voice her brother had used. "How could you do that? Haven't you destroyed enough of that family?"

"She threatened mine, Ada! She threatened each and every one of us, and each moment she's alive, she's a threat! How do you suppose I can deal with a threat like that? With deals and all that shit? With diplomacy and words? She doesn't know how to be honourable, she is anything but deserving of our trust. I, for one, am almost certain that sooner rather than later, I will have to take that particular issue in my own hands" Tom let out, having lost his patience with Ada. 

"Tom, this is part of a bigger problem. Whoever it was who killed Aberama Gold betrayed us, and we need to find out who it was. It's as simple as that. Once we do, it's two birds with one stone" Arthur chimed in, trying to reconcile his two siblings. He couldn't help but agree with Tom: if Gigi was dead, it was one less peril for the Shelbies. But the other one, the bigger issue, would remain. However, if the bigger issue was resolved, so would this one. 

"What if the person, or people, who killed Aberama are people we cannot go up against? What if we can't do anything about it?" Tommy asked, sitting down on his table and trying to regain control of his breathing and heartbeat. "What if... I can never deliver Aberama Gold's killer to his daughter, eh?"

"Tommy, whoever it is... Whether it's Oswald Mosley, whether it's the Billy Boys... they need to be brought to justice. They need to pay for what they did" Lizzie guaranteed, a cigarette inbetween her well-manicured fingers. "No one is above the law, Tommy"

"How can you say that when you're sitting at this table, inside this house?" Arthur asked, surprising all the ones present. "Money is above the law. The only justice in the world is the one that comes out the barrel of a gun, and into a man's skull" 

* * *

The veiled figure advanced through the field with difficulty. It was almost midnight, the moon wasn't full, and it wasn't familiar terrain. Even more challenging was to do it all while thinking harder than ever, divided between grief and loyalty. It was only when the camp was within her field of vision that Polly Gray made a final decision on what she would be asking Georgia Gold. 

"Mrs. Gray" a voice called from somewhere ahead of her. Polly couldn't make out much of a figure, but she did know the individual carried a gas lamp, with a dim, yet welcome, light. 

"Yes, it's me. Georgia? Are you Georgia?" 

"I am" the girl replied, positioning the light so that it coincided with her face. Those features, those... those eyes, that nose, that mouth... It was like seeing him, like seeing every bit of him in front of her. The dim light contributed to the memory of times gone by, to the reliving of the sweetest times. "It's an honour to meet you, ma'am" 

"Oh. Oh, of course you are" Polly whispered, taking wobbly steps toward that angel. "You look just like your father, it's amazing"

"I've been told that" Georgia chuckled, allowing Polly to hug her, and hold on to her as tightly as she could. Strangely enough, Polly Gray, a woman Gigi had never met before, smelled familiar, smelled just like the mother Gigi had very little recollection of. 

"I'm sorry, I... I never met any of you" Polly sniffled, tears staining her face as she took Gigi's arms so they could walk to camp safely. "You, and your sisters, I mean. There's Esmeralda, you're Gigi, and..."

"Delilah" Gigi informed, offering Polly a stool near the fire. 

"Esmeralda, Delilah, and Gigi. And Bonnie, of course" the older woman sighed, focusing on the fire, and not on the sounds of the forest nearby. "Your friends?" 

"Depends on the friend, but I reckon they're mostly sleeping, or reading. Those who know how, of course" 

"I haven't left my house in so long, it's like I can't remember what the forest smells like, or what a bonfire sounds like. It's so strange to be here, meeting you, without him" Polly mused, enjoying the wind on her hair, the warmth of the fire, coming to her in waves. "Do you miss him?"

"I think so. He was a good man, although we didn't get to see him much. My sisters are married, and travelling. I settled in Wales, and never wanted to leave. We all do what we're meant to do, and my father... well, I think he was meant to be with you. And I'm sorry you lost him" 

"I am too. Georgia... he called you Gigi, may I call you Gigi?"

"Of course" Gigi replied, nodding. "Everyone does, even the newspapers. Even your stuck up nephew, Tommy" 

"He's the other reason why I wanted to meet you" Polly explained, leaning forward, closer to Gigi, who did the same. "I agree with you. Tommy is the reason why we both lost one too many people. I'm not willing to lose any more because of him"

"He's that much of a problem, eh?"

"He is. I want him gone, Georgia. And if you don't do it, I will" Polly explained, her eyes becoming dark and heavy, her pupils dilating. She wasn't drunk, or high, or anything of the sort: she was absolutely lucid, more so than ever before, maybe. "Will he be enough to pay the debt? To pay for Aberama's life?" 

"Yes. He would be more than enough" Gigi responded, feeling every bit as sure as Polly was. "I made a deal with your niece, Ada: they have a month since the day I arrived to bring me the person who did this. I intend to honour that deal. But after that... I trust you when you say Tommy has to go" 

"It isn't the first time I've made this deal; I've known it in my heart that this is what needs to happen for a long, long time. I can't wait any longer. After the month is up, so is his time bringing disaster upon disaster on this family " Polly agreed, extending her hands toward Gigi, who took them inbetween her own. "I know you'll succeed where others have failed "


	5. Chapter 5

Ada had meant to visit Polly first thing in the morning, but arrived to her aunt's home and found it empty. It was strange, because since Aberama Gold's death, Polly was always home, usually in bed, facing the wall, curtains drawn, refusing to see anyone. Where in all hell had she gone now, probably alone? Was she high on something, was she drunk, had anything happened? There was even a possibility of her being hurt, and the though alone made the hair on the back of Ada's neck stand up. Polly was so fragile now, so helpless... her strength had left her when the man she loved died, and this time... this time the prospect of her older self coming back wasn't looking too bright. 

Out of the blue, there was a knock on the door, a strong and persistent knock, that made Ada jump unwillingly. Her hand flew to the revolver she kept in her purse, and only with the trigger engaged did she approach the front door, and looked through the little window to identify the visitor. It so happened to be the peculiar man with the top hat, the only one of Gigi Gold's companions Ada had seen with her own eyes. The man showed her his empty hands, and cleared his voice before speaking.

"Madam, my name is Lucas Tiller, I am with Gigi. We met the other day, I believe. I came to deliver a message: your aunt is safe, at our camp. She met with Gigi late last night and ended up staying. Would you be so kind as to accompany us with a method of transportation for her?" Lucas said, loud and clear. 

"I remember you" Ada replied, opening the door, and even allowing the man to receive a smile. He had good manners, dressed well, and was apparently clean, despite the muddy riding boots. "My aunt is with Gigi, then? At your camp? Is she alright?" 

"She is, no need to worry. She wanted to meet Gigi, which I think is understandable. And she wanted to meet her alone, that's why she came late at night" Lucas deemed, having the common sense not to do any sudden moves: he could see the woman in front of him had a loaded weapon in her purse. 

"I can't really argue with that..." Ada conceded, taking a deep breath. 

"I do have a message, written by your aunt, madam. So that you can follow me to the camp, without fear of being trapped and hurt" Lucas informed, delivering a sealed letter to Ada with an exaggerated bow. She didn't know how to react to that, but she took it with a thankful smile, and read it hurriedly, recognising Polly's handwriting. It had been nice of her, and of mister Tiller, to provide proof. Ada had to admit she would have followed him regardless, wanting nothing more than to have Polly back where she could be watched, in case she decided to do something she would regret. 

"Thank you for coming, mister Tiller. I do have a car, do you reckon I can get close enough to your camp in it?" she asked the second she finished the letter. Polly said nothing special, only that she was alright, and had gone to Gigi Gold because she wanted to, not because someone forced her. 

"Certainly, madam. If you'd be so kind as to follow my horse" Lucas requested, waiting for Ada to close the door, put on a pair of gloves, and walk to her vehicle. Soon enough, they were on the road, old school and new school, horse and car. 

It took them about twenty minutes to arrive to Gigi's camp. The bonfire was now extinct, but the circle of rocks around it remained, as did the mismatched stools around it. There was some wood ready to burn again, neatly piled, and a plate or two on the floor. Polly herself was sitting nearby, on the step of a vardo, happily chatting in Rokka to a stranger. 

"Polly! I was scared half to death when I got to your house and you weren't there!" Ada chastised, seeing her aunt's eyes sparkle for the first time in too long. No one could say she looked hurt, or held against her will.

"Ada! I'm glad you're here. Milosh, that is my niece, and I need to go now. Where is Gigi? I want to say goodbye" Polly replied, getting up and shaking the stranger's hand. Apparently hearing Polly summoning her, Gigi came out of her own vardo, and smiled at the sight of Ada Thorne, as fresh as a daisy, and as beautiful as one, too. 

"I assume you got the message, eh?" Gigi called out to Ada, approaching her calmly. "I meant to send Lucas earlier, but didn't want to disturb you in case you were resting" 

"I must've beat you by about ten minutes. I had just gotten to Polly's house when mister Tiller came knocking" Ada explained, directing her attention to the head of the camp. Today, she wore black riding pants, and an equally black shirt, made of a linen-like material. Her riding boots were squeaky clean, with not a spot of mud on them, and her hair was up, tied with a raw leather band. The absence of anything remarkable in her garments only did her features justice: she looked positively enchanting. "You ready to go, Pol? My car is just up there, would you wait a bit for me? I'll be right there" 

For once, Polly did as she was told, but not without a knowing smile on her lips. She had seen the way Gigi looked at Ada, and could even detect the shadow of something very similar in her own niece. They were different, dramatically so, both in lifestyle and appearance, but somehow, some way, God above had made them see something, something in each other that created a tension between them, a tension that Polly reckoned would intensify in due time. She could see it now, the tiniest hint of a spark, that would surely grow if given space and nurture. 

"Should we talk in private?" Gigi wanted to know, hands on her hips as usual, squinting her eyes due to the sun. 

"Yes, please" Ada confirmed, prompting Gigi to nod and lead them in the direction of the nearby woods. The trees were dense enough for them to be granted privacy, both from prying ears and prying eyes. 

"Polly was perfectly safe last night, she knows the way like the palm of her hands..." Gigi started, but Ada didn't want information she already posessed. Of course Polly would've taken it upon herself to visit Aberama's daughter, and of course she would do so without telling anyone. 

"That's not why I asked to speak to you. I want to know if she... if she said something, if she wanted you to do something" 

"Whatever it is she told me, she would not want me to tell anyone else, would she? I'm sure you understand" Gigi stated, crossing her arms. "It has nothing to do with you, that much I can say" 

"It's not me that I worry about; I worry about Polly. And now that you've met her, I'm sure you do too" Ada explained, with a little more emotion in her voice than she would've liked to display. 

"I do, I worry about her, and I've no intention to harm her! How could you even suggest that?" Gigi almost shouted, in complete and utter shock. "My father was going to marry her, I would never even lay a hand on her, let alone..." 

"No, no that«s not what I meant, Gigi! Listen to me, I'm asking you if she asked you to do something she might regret, or that... or that could end up getting her killed" 

"You know, don't you? You already know what she came here to do" Gigi whispered, in absolute disbelief. "She said she had asked it once before, did she tell you about that?"

"No, she didn't. But I knew, like I know now. I don't know how I know, call it a feeling, a premonition... I just know there had to be a reason for her to want to come alone. And I know now that she is broken, and I know who she blames. Gigi, I can't let you do what Polly asked you to do" Ada everything but begged, stepping forward ever so slightly, unaware of the effect her perfume had on Gigi Gold, who inhaled it as if it was the last bit of oxygen on earth. 

"Why not? If you know what she asked, if you really do, why can't I honour her wish?" 

"Because he's my brother! And he means well, he wants to protect us, he..." 

"He keeps on putting you in harm's way! Polly told me about it, filled in the gaps of what I didn't know. Ada, he's not a good man. He's too broken, he's too far gone to be saved. I can guarantee you that he won't get you, or anyone else, in business that can get you all killed. Even if he is your brother... please, don't deny that what I'm saying is true. You know better than to do that" Gigi responded, getting heated as well. 

"I can't. I won't let you kill him. I simply won't, Gigi" Ada countered, on the brink of tears. The only thing keeping her from full on crying was the look on the girl's face, the effect of the greenery that surrounded them on the colour of her eyes, and of the shadows of the trees on her hair. "He'll... Gigi..."

"What's wrong? Ada, are you feeling unwell?" Gigi immediately asked, seeing how pale Ada had gotten all of a sudden, eyes fixated on Gigi's. 

"I'm fine, I just..." Ada stammered, not knowing exactly what to say. Should she say that only then had she realised the person in front of her had the most extraordinary eyes? Or should she simply tell her that there was something alluring beyond belief about her duplicity, about her ability to change from hellbent on murdering an entire family, to a normal girl, an amicable host, and a model stepdaughter? "Give me some time, alright? Some time to try and figure out who killed your dad, and figure out what to do about Tommy"

"Of course. We agreed on a month, and I keep my promises" Gigi agreed, nodding to make the message crystal clear. "And I know what I said before I arrived: I wanted blood, and I wanted your family's blood, of all of you. But I no longer want that. I understand now, seeing you in person, that you're not bad. Only Tommy is. And I pride myself on only preying on the rotten" 

"That's... a start, I guess" Ada sighed, feeling that particular weight lifting off her shoulders. "I don't... I don't know what to say, Gigi. I understand you. I really do" 

"And I understand you, Ada. Trust me, I do. I came from Swansea to defend my family's honour, to avenge a death. There's nothing I can do other than that, and I still made my way here. You're fighting for your brother, who is still alive... I understand it. You love him, he's your brother, but you also know that he has done things you can't hope to forgive" 

"Yes" Ada agreed, chuckling for good measure. "Yes, that's absolutely right"

"I understand. And I think you understand me" Gigi responded, taking another step forward, so close to the source of the scent she was falling in love with that she could feel the fabric of Ada's dress on her arms. 

"I do" 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violence as per usual y'all

Ada returned to the car, and got behind the wheel, holding on to it, taking her time to breathe, turn the key, and feel the motor coming alive. Polly had done as she was told, staying in her seat, patiently waiting for her niece to come back from speaking with her youngest stepdaughter. The sly smile on her face could have been a sign that Polly had something to say, but Ada was miles away, looking at the road, her eyes focused on something no one else could see. 

"Would you like to talk about it?" Polly enquired, waking Ada up from whatever daydream had gotten her lost inside her own head. 

"What? Talk about what?" 

"About what makes you go silent for so long" 

Despite everything, Ada did feel like saying something. In reality, she felt like asking a million questions, unveil a million mysteries, unravel a million knots. The shade of Georgia's eyes lingered in the back of her eyelids, every time she blinked, accompanied by the dance of shade and light provoked by the trees that surrounded them. No one in their right mind could deny that the youngest Gold was beautiful, and maybe that was what set Ada off. It was that, that small little detail: the difference between recognising beauty, and loving that beauty. 

"I don't know what you mean by that" Ada ended up dismissing, deciding it was better to keep it to herself. The matter at hand was one that had to be dismissed and forgotten, due to the obvious reasons, which included the child inside of her, and the other who was probably terrorising his cousins. 

"I mean the reason why you haven't asked me why I was at Gigi's camp, or why you haven't stopped biting your lip" Polly clarified, putting on a pair of sunglasses. "It was... a revelation to meet her. From the pictures she showed me, Georgia is the sister who looks the most like their father. I would also argue that she is the most beautiful sister, although Esmeralda, the oldest, is also attractive" 

"I haven't seen the others. I don't even remember what her brother Bonnie looked like" Ada scoffed, making a turn that would lead them to Polly's home, guarded like a fort by Peaky Blinders. 

"I do. He was a very handsome young man. And kind, too. I know what Gigi did, and what she does. Her hands are as bloody as her father's were. But it doesn't mean that they're evil spirits, or that we can't fall in love with them. Whatever you think you feel, or are starting to feel... there shouldn't be boundaries"

"There aren't. Because I feel nothing" Ada concluded, stopping the car in the middle of the driveway, and slapping the wheel with all her might. "I feel nothing, Polly"

"I believe you" Polly contested, opening the door and leaving the vehicle. Her niece did the same, and both walked up to the front door. "But she really is beautiful, eh?"

"End of conversation" Ada shouted, beyond her limit of patience. Only when Polly was inside, out of her sight, did Ada manage to let out the air from her lungs. Ok, so maybe she hadn't been the most talkative, but there was a reason: some things were just not meant to be spoken about. 

* * *

Shelby Manor was completely in the dark, except for the light coming from the study on the ground floor. Tommy was awake, Arthur was too, but Finn had dozed off at some point in time. Gigi had asked them to be there so that she could deliver on what had been asked of her. Ada had wanted to be there as well, but was now putting the children to bed. Nothing had happened yet, and the siblings were starting to think the Gold girl would not make good on her promise. 

"How much did we pay for this?" Arthur groaned, wanting nothing more than to check on his son Billy, and then fuck off to bed. Tom didn't seem to be sleepy whatsoever, hunched over a bunch of papers, most likely than not related to business. 

"Nothing. She didn't charge" Tommy informed, looking up while rubbing his eyes. He hadn't seen Lizzie in what seemed like decades, and same with his two children, but it was best for everyone to not see what was coming. If Gigi had kept her promise to kill the men on the list, she would have done so in a maner that would not be suitable to weak minds or weak stomachs. 

"Huh? Why didn't she?"

"Some fuckery about not charging to kill bad men" Tom scoffed, not in the mood to have that sort of fucking conversation. "I'll be damned if she's not ten years old. Karl is probably more mature than this girl" 

"She's not ten years old" Ada chimed in, entering the room, and draping a blanket over Finn, who snuggled with it just like a baby would. "She has a code, that's all"

"Sure, that makes sense" Tommy mocked, laughing sarcastically at his sister. "Some lass from fuck-knows-where, who probably can't even fucking read, comes to my house wanting to kill my whole family, and she has a code" 

"I talked to her, and she changed her mind; she no longer wants all of us dead" Ada replied, knowing she would shut Tommy up with that piece of information. "She wants your head, and your head alone, in exchange for her father's death" 

Arthur was at a loss for words, as was Tommy. Neither of them did as much as look at Ada, who, in turn, had her eyes glued to Tommy's expression. It was extremely interesting to see the relief mixed with confusion, and even fear. Gigi really was a force of nature, capable of disturbing even Tommy Shelby. Ada appreciated that, and the girl flashed before her eyes one again. 

"Well, that means everyone can sleep a little better at night, apart from me" Tommy ended up saying, leaning back on his chair. 

Gigi ended up arriving, along her companions, not even five minutes later. Her horse, a valuable stallion, was barely visible in the night, mixing perfectly with the night sky. It made it seem that Gigi's head of blonde hair was floating on air. 

"Your delivery, mister Shelby" the girl simply spat, giving a signal with her head for the companions to drop a corpse each to the floor. For good measure, she tipped her hat to Ada, and drove her horse to the main road, followed by five figures. 

"What did I tell you? She might be a fucking brat, but she does good work" Tommy chuckled humourlessly, going to examine the bodies scattered on his driveway. Ada and Arthur let him have his time, but even in the night, signs of tragic brutality were visible: gashes, bite marks, surgical-grade incisions... you name it, and one of the dead bodies probably had it. 

"She'll do the same to you, if you don't find her father's killer" Ada heard her own voice saying, and discovered she didn't quite mind throwing that in Tommy's face. No, in all honesty, she enjoyed the shock on his face. 


	7. Chapter 7

The weather had become worse and worse, after the sunny morning Birmingham had experienced. There was wind, there was rain, there was even thunder and lightning. For those who were in bed, comfortable and warm, it was of absolutely no consequence; but for those without four strong walls around them, it had to be scary, cold, and an altogether unfortunate state of affairs. Ada belonged to the first group: tucked in under a heavy blanket and a comforter, she couldn't possibly feel more priviledged. Her body was peaceful, but her mind... was a different story. A very, very different story. And her worry, because it was worry, had a name, a face, a reason: Georgia Gold. Not because she was a death penalty brooding over the Shelbies, but because she had nothing but wood separating her from the elements. Was she cold? Was she coughing, shivering? Did she have blankets, or was she forced to rely on thin sheets?

Sure enough, Polly had been right when she said that something had been left behind. Ada should've known better than to ignore her aunt's words, given that they were always quite on the nose. No one knew how she did that, and no one wanted to know: what mattered was never to ignore those gifts, and the information they surrendered. So Ada, a modern and intelligent woman, would admit to the truth, but only in the solitude of her own bed. Yes, Gigi was a beautiful creature, a beautiful person, and a beautiful woman. More than that, she was a woman who understood how Ada felt in relation to Tommy, and had put it into words when no one in his family had been able to. 

Maybe it wasn't the fact that Gigi was a woman. Granted, Ada had never thought of herself as the kind of woman who was attracted to other women, but it didn't come as a big shock, nor was it a despleasing realization. What was less appealing was the fact that the object of her attraction was the same person who had dumped, for lack of a better word, six corpses, give or take, in front of herself and her family. But Tommy had said something that hadn't been lost on Ada: Gigi only kills bad people. It made a difference, and a very big one at that, too. It wasn't violence for the sake of violence, it was righting wrongs. Whether Tommy was one of those wrongs, remained to be seen. 

Even when one took this into account, and admitting that Ada did have some feelings for Gigi, it didn't mean they went beyond physical attraction, maybe a dash of lust even. She didn't need to fall in love, she didn't need to feel for her what she felt for Freddie. Moreover, in less than three weeks, Gigi would be gone, taking with her any chance of that ever happening. Nothing was necessary, no course of action needed to be defined, nothing had to be addressed. 

But what if she was shivering, what if she was uncomfortable, what if she was crying, or in pain? What if the wood wasn't enough to keep the water from inflitrating the vardo, what if the drops of rain and the moist didn't let her sleep? And what if Ada could drive to her camp, whisk her away to her own home, and make sure she would never be cold again?

* * *

"You look well" Polly exclaimed, seeing her stepdaughter riding her stallion up her driveway. It was a big victory to get Gigi to accept a lunch invitation, but she eventually had, and it was lovely to see her, dismounting and fixing her dress before hugging her doting stepmother. 

"So do you! Thank you for having me" Gigi responded, hugging Polly tightly and entering the home after her. 

Polly herself had prepared lunch, which was delicious, and way too much for two slim women. With a bottle of wine and some laughs, time went by quickly, and Polly felt as if she could ask the question that hadn't left her mind ever since the faithful day she'd seen Ada and Gigi together. There was no way to be subtle about it, and Georgia was smart enough to see through those kinds of attempts. 

"You remember my Ada, don't you?" Polly simply said, elbows on the table, and fists supporting her chin. Clear as day, she could see something in Gigi's face, a fleeting, yet obvious smile, accompanied by a dilation of the pupils. Of course she remembered Ada; she probably had Ada on her mind even more than Polly did, or anyone else for that fact.

"Your niece, of course. The one who went to pick you up when we first met" Gigi responded, as casually as she possibly could, despite the shiver going up and down her spine. 

"I want to confirm something, and I hope you don't mind me asking" 

"Not at all, ask away" the young woman encouraged, even though she was terrified of what was coming. She hadn't known Polly for long, but she did know one thing: she could see things no one else could, and could even see more than the individual the information pertained to. Doubtlessly, there was something coming, something that would make all the difference in the world once confirmed. 

"You fancy her, don't you?" 

"What made you think I do?" Gigi asked, hiding her mouth behind a cloth napkin, under the guise of wiping her mouth after finishing her coffee. "Something I did, something I said?"

"The way you looked at her when she came to pick me up that one time. I could see something, I just don't know what it was" Polly admitted, inhaling and exhaling as quietly as she could, not wanting to miss a single word, a single expression or sigh. 

"Well, I can't say you're wrong, because you are not" Gigi responded, trying to force the corners of her mouth to stay still. "I don't know whether I fancy her, or if I just find her to be absolutely and breathtakingly gorgeous"

"Which she is, no two ways about it" 

"Could not agree more. I don't know if you know this, but she was the one to parlay with me when I arrived. I was ready to start shooting everyone in that house, and keep their heads as trophies... but she sat down with me, we worked out a deal, and I could reason with her, and her with me, better than anyone in the past. She understands me, and I understand her. Is that fancying someone?" Georgia asked, asking Polly the same question she'd asked herself time and time again. Maybe someone older, someone more experienced could provide an answer, because Gigi herself had arrived to absolutely no conclusion, and it was maddening. 

"I think it is, love" Polly confirmed, a widening smile lighting up her tired features. "I think it is. I could see it too, I could see it in the way you looked at her, and could see it in her eyes too. I would say she hasn't come to that conclusion yet, but she will"

"Even if she does feel this way, it would hardly be a good idea to act on such a thing. Once this is dealt with, I'll be going back to Swansea, where I belong, where my home is, and she will stay here, doing business, having her child, probably marrying" Gigi countered, shrugging, wishing she could dismiss it that easily. "It's going to hurt to say goodbye, she's the first person I've ever fancied. But it's how things are, and it's like you said: no two ways about it" 

"Is it that set in stone?" 

"On my part? It is. And if you decide to come with us, you'll be more than welcome. Ada wouldn't do it, she has a boy, and another little one on the way. She's got ties to this place, she's got others to think about" 

"Will you tell her how you feel?" Polly enquired, scared to know the answer, despite already knowing what it would be. "Before you go, I mean" 

"Should I?" Gigi replied, gathering her hair and pulling it over her shoulder. "No, I don't think I will, Polly. Some stones are better left unturned"

"And if you some day get a letter from me telling you she's gotten married?" 

"It's like I said: it will hurt, but it is what it is. It's 1930, and I cannot expect to marry another woman, or to offer her the good life she's accostumed to. As you very well know, love doesn't put food on your table, or a roof over your head" Gigi chuckled, sucking her teeth, and refusing to cry, even though she wanted to. "I can love her to the moon and back, a million times over, but I can never expect to be with her" 


	8. Chapter 8

Polly lit a cigarette (a good, French one, not the crap she usually asked someone to buy from the shop around the corner), and paced around, her steps making marks on the smooth carpet. In her mind, there was the issue o Ada and Gigi, and nothing else. There had been a time when she couldn't get out of bed, but now she couldn't even sit still. Why were the two of them making everything so damn hard? Certainly it wasn't difficult at all, was it? Polly had yet to talk to Ada and get a clear answer, but her intuition had never been wrong before.

"Aunt Polly? Polly, it's me" someone called from the door, making Polly herself look back, her face opening up in a smile when she saw her only niece. If there was no such thing as coincidences, how come Ada was standing at the door, exactly when Polly was thinking about her? It was honestly quite remarkable how fate seemed to intervene when something was simply meant to be. 

"Didn't expect you to visit today" Polly replied, opening the door and allowing Ada to come in. She seemed to be in a state of anxiety, her hair being massacred by relentless hands. "What's the matter?" 

"Nothing's wrong, I just... I need to... I need to talk to you. And you need to talk to Gigi. Get her to go away, aunt Polly, get her to leave before she delivers what she promised you" Ada begged, unable to keep herself from crying any longer. 

"How do you know about that? And what's happened?" Polly asked, taking Ada by the arm and urging her to sit down on the sofa. The first question, although vital, paled in comparison to the second. It was beyond obvious that Ada was in distress. "I thought you had an agreement with her, there's still a week before the time runs out..." 

"Polly, she needs to go" Ada cried, so distraught she couldn't even sob. "She needs to leave, today! Oh god, oh my god, it's my fault. We need to leave now, you have to come with me, she'll only listen to you"

"Ada, you need to tell me what the hell is going on, why does Gigi have to leave?" Polly asked, as her niece forced her out the door, and into her car. How she could drive, Polly didn't really know, given the way her hands were shaking. The vehicle's suspension creaked every time they hit a bump at the speed they were going, and there still wasn't an answer. 

"Tommy. Tommy is going to kill her". He might even be there already, he didn't say when it was going to happen" Ada finally responded, going over yet another bump. "It's my fault, Pol, it's all my fault..." 

Needless to say, Ada's driving ability and considerable speed got them to Gigi's camp in just under ten minutes. There didn't seem to be any disturbance, which was hopefully a good sign. Without even waiting for Polly to accompany her, Ada ran to Gigi's vardo, punching the door with her fists. To her terror, there was no answer, but the smell of smoke was quite overpowering. 

"Oh no, oh heavens no..." Polly sighed, not knowing what to do, and frozen in fear of what Ada would find once the door gave in. Her decision ended up being to go and help Ada, and it took the combination of their strengths to kick down the door, releasing a cloud of toxic-smelling grey cloud.

Guided by something no one else could see, Ada charged forward, hitting furniture on her way, but not caring one bit about the bruises that were bound to form. She knew what she needed, she knew there was the tiniest window of oportunity, the smallest chance of her being able to undo the wrong she'd done. Put simply, Ada needed to feel Georgia Gold, she had to find her, to feel her heart beating and the whisper of a breath coming from her mouth. And she needed it to make sure she hadn't given Tommy information that would lead to death, but she needed it to make sure her brother hadn't killed the owner of the eyes Ada saw when she tried to sleep, or the stubborn, yet fair soul with whom she'd reached an agreement, whom she understood, being understood in return. 

Gigi really was there, on her bed, as if she had been asleep, and hadn't noticed the smoke around her. Ada shook her with all her strength, but she didn't wake up, didn't open her eyes, nothing. In hindsight, she wouldn't know how she had been able to drag Gigi out of her wagon and out into the fresh air, but Ada did know one thing: she would never forget the moment she was able to find a pulse. 

"Is she..." Polly asked, having failed to get a response from the other wagons, which were either empty or occupied by people who were no longer among the living. 

"No, no there's a pulse. Shit, I didn't remember to call the police, or an ambulance, or..." Ada whined, helplessly brushing the hair away from Gigi's face, rubbing her own sleeve on her cheeks, not knowing what else to do, but wanting to get rid of the soot and the dust.

Polly seemed to have gone away, to where Ada couldn't tell. She'd started crying at some point, because there were tears on Gigi's face, and the girl's head was now on her lap, but it was all a blur, a hazey nightmare. How could it happen like this, how could Tommy take away so many lives, how dare he go after Gigi, how dare he try to undermine their agreement, and how dare he lay a hand on Georgia Gold, who understood, who knew, who listened, who... 

"Wake up, damn it! Wake the fuck up, Georgia! I mean it, please wake up, wake up, let me look at you, let me look at you again, please... Please, don't leave me here, not yet. Let me look at you, let me talk to you, there is so much I need to tell you, that I need to ask you, you can't go" Ada cried, trying to get Gigi to wake up, to give a sign of life. Then, the only sound that could be heardfor miles on end were her sobs, as she came to the realisation that whatever it was that she felt for Gigi Gold, the promise of what could be, had slipped through her fingers, and it hurt so bad she sad red. 

"What? What do you need to tell me?" the smallest whisper was all Gigi could manage, her lungs full of smoke and debris. However, and even though every bit of her hurt when she spoke, she needed to know, and she needed to know before whatever was happening to her won their fight. "Please don't make me beg, I can hardly breathe right now" 

"I'm falling in love with you, Georgia Gold" Ada said, simply, with nothing else to add, with nothing else to hide. There simply was no time, nothing could be left unsaid, and as unfair as it was, it was the truth, and it couldn't be erased. 

"Oh well... I already love you, Ada Thorne" Gigi sighed, chuckling silently, almost as if she didn't want anyone else to hear. 

The last thing Gigi remembered once she woke up in a strange bedroom was Ada's lips touching down on hers, a kiss so antecipated and needed it saved her life. 


	9. Chapter 9

The physician who was called shook from top to bottom, having been draggen to Polly Gray's home under the threat of Isaiah Jesus' shotgun. Neither the preacher's son nor the good doctor were aware of who it was who needed medical care, and only the latter one was allowed inside the home, and inside the guest bedroom. The patient had to be the blonde girl who laid on the bed, either sleeping, passed out, or dead already; covered in soot, it was hard to make out any other features.

"She inhaled a lot of smoke" Polly Gray informed, hand over her mouth. Philip Morris, the doctor, knew the lady fairy well, and couldn't say that he'd ever seen her as worried as she was now. "And she sometimes wakes up, but can't really speak"

"Does she look confused when she comes to?" Morris asked, approaching the patient and seeing that some efforts had been made to clean the afflicted girl, and there had been the common sense to open the windows, so that fresh air could come into the room. 

"I wouldn't say confused, no. She does have a hard time breathing, though, and seems to be in pain" Polly replied, making the doctor nod. Those symptoms were to be expected, as was the shallow breathing he could hear.

"Hm... Well, the first thing we need is some oxygen, but for that we need a..."

"Polly! Polly, I need help with this!" a voice shouted from what seemed to be front door. Following suit, both Polly and Morris went down the stairs, where none other than Ada Thorne stood, after seemingly have dragged a full cannister of oxygen, with what looked like a hose and a mask. 

"We need one of those, that's what I was about to say" doctor Morris completed, looking mildly concerned with the presence of a medical device outside of a hospital or GP practice. However, it shouldn't be surprising that a Shelby had access to whatever they needed, but it was strange that Ada knew such a thing existed and would be needed. "Let's get it upstairs" he prompted, deciding not to comment on it. 

"I shouted at a few nurses and pointed a gun at them until they gave me it" Ada commented, as if it was completely normal and not at all noteworthy. Polly nodded, as the three of them made their way to the guest bedroom. The girl, whoever she was, was still sleeping, and doctor Morris went to work setting up the machine, to hopefully save a life that day. 

"Did it work? Gigi? Gigi?" Ada Thorne let out the second the mask was on the girl's face. Morris did appreciate having a name for his patient, although Gigi was atrocious. "Gigi! Wake up, love!"

"Mrs. Thorne, she needs to take in a good dose of it before we can see any improvement" the doctor explained, breathing deeply. "We'll leave the mask for about an hour, and then we'll see how she feels, and if she needs some more of it to clear out her lungs" 

"Fine. Thank you, doctor" Polly even made an effort to smile, but rushed the doctor out quickly, advising him that he was to tell no one about what he'd gone to her house for, under the threat of consequences he would not appreciate. 

Ada, on the other hand, had not cared at all that a medical professional, or anyone else, had been to see Gigi. She knew enough about human anatomy to know that oxygen would help someone breathe, and that seemed to be Gigi's main issue at that moment. As to how she got her hands on oxygen, it was also pretty easy; if needed she was ready to go to the ends of the earth to get whatever Georgia needed. 

"Hey love, I'm back. You alright? Is the mask too tight?" Ada asked, taking Gigi's hands into hers, resuming their positions before she'd left for the hospital. Of course, there was no response, but at least something was being done. There was no way to tell whether the poor girl was sleeping or passed out, but there was a heartbeat, which Ada checked obsessively. 

"She's not going to die if you eat something" Polly chuckled from the door, trying not to smile too widely. "Or have some tea"

"Not hungry" her niece replied, brushing some stray hair from Gigi's face, as carefully and lovingly as she could. "I hate seeing her like this"

"I do too" Pol agreed, leaning on the doorway. "I did wish to see you and her together, but not like this"

"Why did you? I myself didn't realise how I was starting to feel about her until I found her there" Ada admitted, hating herself just a bit. She'd had three weeks to come to terms with what had started to bloom the first night Gigi appeared in her life, but she had ignored all of it. 

"I have my ways. Not to mention Gigi may have told me in great secrecy she had feelings for you" Polly confessed, opting for staying by the door, to take in the complete picture before her, equal parts beautiful and sad. 

"She did? Well, she... Gigi told me... back at the camp..." Ada stuttered, trying to decide whether she wanted to share that information, or if she wanted to keep that memory to herself. 

"And what did you say to that?"

"I told her I was falling in love with her, and she told me she already was in love with me" 

There was no point in hiding that information from Polly, was there? Love wasn't really something to be afraid of, or embarrassed by. As for the precious memory involved, Ada refused to believe those words were the last thing Gigi would say and hear. There would be time for them to say it, to feel it, to discover what it meant for a future that seemed uncertain. 

"We'll have to find a way to hide her, and probably get her away from here without Tommy knowing" Polly reminded, going from the door to the window, and looking out to the back garden. There were Blinders somewhere around there, but she knew from experience that they couldn't hear them from that distance. 

"Do you think he'll still want to..."

"Do you think Gigi will suddenly change her mind when she's well enough to walk by herself?" Polly asked, lighting a cigarette. "Her father will still be dead, and it will still be Tommy who's to blame for employing him" 

"You're right. Fuck, Pol; what do we do?" 

"I don't know. But I think that the best option would be to get her back to Swansea, or to travel with one of her sisters. Let Tommy believe she's really gone" Polly admitted, breathing as deeply as she could. Of course, her heartbreak was lessened by a daughter she couldn't keep close; another loss for her already extensive list. Letters would have to sufice, and that was already better. 

"I know" Ada sighed, conflicted between brain and heart. It was too dangerous to keep Gigi around, it could threaten her life again, but damn it she didn't want to let go. The thought alone hurt, and it was all because of Tommy. Tommy had gotten them into this mess, had gotten Aberama Gold killed, which in turn had lit the fire of vengeance in Gigi. Between the two of them, there could only be one outcome: death. "What if she came back to London with me?" 

"And have to hide for the rest of her life? Looking over her shoulder, thinking about what might happen if she lets down her guard?"

"Thinking about what might happen to you and your children when he tries to get to me?" Gigi asked, having managed to take off the mask, and even attempt to sit up. Ada's face lit up with a smile as she helped her sit, a sigh of relief loud and clear. 

"How do you feel? Better?" Ada asked, hands on Gigi's cheeks, examining every inch of her skin, and then slooking straight into her eyes. "Does anything hurt, can you breathe?"

"I'm fine, I'm alright, I feel great" Gigi chuckled, albeit a bit breathless from the effort of sitting up. "I don't know where I am right now, but I have to go before Tommy finds out and hurts you" 

"You're not going anywhere" Polly ordered, chucking her cigarette and closing the window. "You need to rest, and you need to recover before you do anything. Tommy won't find out anything, and we need time to think about where it would be safest"

"Swansea. Swansea is safest" Gigi argued, looking around. "I know the rest of them are dead, they couldn't have survived, I remember their trailers on fire. But I've more people loyal to me in Wales, and Tommy wouldn't dare go that far"

"He would, Georgia. You don't know him like we do. He thinks his life's in danger, and he will stop at nothing to get rid of you. He's got resources, he's got..." Ada explained, sadly aware that Gigi would have to leave the country, and never come back. 

"Well, he's right. His life is in danger. He tried to kill me, and killed people I cared about. I'm willing to go back to Swansea, to my home, to make sure the heat dies down. But I can't guarantee I won't be back to finish what needs to be done" Gigi informed, her eyes darkening significantly. It was impossible to doubt her, her expression provided all the proof that she would, indeed, stop at nothing to see Thomas Shelby die. "What I refuse to let happen is him finding out you helped me get away, and doing something to hurt you"

"What about me, eh? What about me? You'll go back to fucking Swansea, and leave me here? And then what? After what you said, after what I said? Does that mean absolutely nothing?" Ada spat, in a tone that surprised Gigi. She sounded beyond cross, she sounded furious, betrayed. "Fuck, I sound like a teenager. I sound like a brat"

"You don't, actually. You sound like I want to sound, and you're saying what I want to say" Gigi admitted, lowering her eyes to their intertwined fingers. "I don't want to go, and it's absolutely my fault that we're in this situation. I should never have come here"

"Don't say that, that's not true and you know it" Ada responded, dismissing those hurtful words. "We would never have met if you hadn't come, and I would've never fallen for you"

"Well yes, but this? This situation we're in? I can't... Ada, I can't give you anything but trouble. I want to, I desperately want to give you the world, settle into a little cottage in the middle of the Brecon Beacons and kiss you every day for the rest of my life, play with your kids, go get wood for our fireplace, sleep by your side... but I can't. You've a business, you've a job, and your brother would never let us have a normal life" Gigi confessed, with tears gathering at the corner of her eye. "Believe me, I want to be with you, more than anything in this world..." 

Ada never knew how that sentence would end, because she found herself moving forward to kiss Gigi as hard as she could, knocking the oxygen right out of both their lungs. Gigi kissed back, fueled by the energy she'd gained in the last hour, and by the absolute pleasure of feeling her beloved's lips on her, her tongue in her mouth. Out of the blue, but as welcome as sunshine after a rainy day, Ada moved so that her body could be on top of Gigi's, deepening the kiss, destroying any awareness of the outside world. Polly was long gone, reading the room as one she didn't belong in any longer, so they were alone, and free to get rid of their clothes, carelessly throwing them on the floor, anxious to feel closer. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi! It gets a bit NSFW here

Gigi had never seen anything vaguely as beautiful as Ada Thorne in her underwear; that was until she saw her with nothing on at all. Her body was untainted, with no scars, no nothing apart from curves, dimples, perfection, beauty, and all that was right in the world. Ada, on the other hand, felt more comfortable than she ever had, felt seen, but not judged, exposed but loved. And nothing, nothing could surpass the way Georgia looked at her, kissed her, not asking for anything in return. The sight of that blonde hair spread over her own stomach made Ada sigh and moan, paired with whatever was happening between her legs (she was mildly out of it, and without a line of sight, she'd decided to just enjoy it, without analysing). 

"You look beautiful like that" Ada heard her own voice say, strangely modified by the effort she was making not to scream. "So beautiful, fuck"

"And you taste beautiful, too" Gigi replied, chuckling against Ada's thigh, nibbling on its tenderness, before going back to what she was doing, selfish and selfless, altogether: selfish because she didn't think she could live without her love's pleasure; selfless because she wanted nothing from it. 

After all that, the whole world was hazy: the furniture was a blur, the window a mere source of light, and the door a brown blob. None of it mattered, none of it would ever matter again, and it was absolutely fine with Ada Thorne. In fact, and apart from her children, nothing else other than Georgia would matter ever again, and it was bliss. Hell, if Georgia had to leave to save her own life, then Ada herself would go too. There were schools everywhere in the world, she could find a midwife to give birth to the new baby, and they could live happily ever after, away from all the things that were now just background noise. 

"Brecon Beacons" 

"Cardiff, maybe? It's near enough, and there are better schools" Gigi suggested, holding Ada as close as she could, nose buried in her hair, which was now less pristine than a couple of hours earlier. 

"I'll have to get rid of my car, but there are roads, right? And we can buy a new car, something less flashy" Ada responded, choosing to ignore the significance of Cardiff in her previous life, the one with Freddie, when she almost got rid of Karl. 

"Yeah, that sounds good. Or we could go visit Swansea, see if you like it there. I say this because it would be easier to set ourselves up there, I already have a home. It's not under my name, and the only people who knew about it are... well, not here anymore" Georgia explained, mentally doing the maths and coming to the conclusion that there were just enough bedrooms for the two kids, and for her and Ada. There was also a small backyard, and even a park nearby. 

"I've never been to Swansea, actually. Let's go there, then. Tomorrow. Tonight. As soon as possible. Let's take Polly with us. Let's just... run away" 

"You serious?" 

"Absolutely serious. Polly will come, I know she will. And Karl will like to start fresh" Ada assured, looking at Gigi with all the hope in the world. "Let's go, and never look back" 

"I... hm. See, I don't hate that idea. At all. But you'll miss your family." Gigi alerted, her heart aching for her brother and father. "I miss my sisters every day of my life, and you'll miss Finn, and Arthur" 

"I will. But Tommy... if I stay, I don't know what will happen to me, to the rest of us. What if his next idea gets us all killed? It's come close too many times" 

"I can still kill him? He'll never see it coming, either. I could go right now, you and Polly take over the company, and we won't have to lift a finger" Gigi offered, liking that idea a little too much, her eyes glistening with the prospect of blood. And of course Ada knew she meant it, and she should hate it, but she loved to see that glimmer of animalistic need to kill in Georgia's eyes. "His kids will be better off without him, same with his wife" 

"I want to argue with that, but I don't think I can. And I can't argue with Polly when she says she wants him dead. I understand her all too well. But even with him dead and gone, I would want to get away from here. I'd still want to go somewhere where I could make memories, all of them good. For me, and for my babies"

"We'll do this: I'll ask Polly if I can stay here one more day, to give you time to think, and to explain to her our plan as well. I agree that she's going to want to come, but I want to give the both of you time to prepare, and pack, without rushing" Gigi proposed, looking around and not seeing much that warranted tedious packing. "Make sure this is what you want to do, alright? You'll always be free to leave, I won't make you stay with me, but if you leave here, and if we let Tommy leave, your life will never be the same" 

"What do you mean? You think I'm going to leave? Leave you? So that some idiot stakes their claim on my girl? No way in hell" Ada said, pouting, and looking way younger than she was, overcome with jealousy. "I won't want to leave you, Georgia. That's not going to happen" 

"Just saying, love, you're under no obligation" 

Even if the outside world thought one of them was dead and the other one was a loyalist, in the guest bedroom of Polly Gray's home, there was nothing but heaven, and dreams of a new life. Once the door opened, reality would come trickling in, and the truth would have to be dealt with. But now, right then, bodies glued together, nothing could come between them. 


	11. Chapter 11

"To Swansea? With Karl?" Polly asked, when Ada and Gigi joined her in the living room. She wasn't about to ask what had happened, simply because it was obvious. At least, Gigi was walking, her breathing was laboured but a little lighter, and her skin was back to its normal tone, which denoted the long hours spent on a saddle. They both looked pretty happy, and Ada had this aura of satisfaction about her, like she had just cracked the code of life. 

"Yes. I have decided that I'm going, and obviously Karl is coming with me" Ada stated, sticking up her chin. "Georgia thinks you'll want to come with us, and I would really like that. But we'll have to act quickly" 

"How quickly?" Polly enquired, looking at the two young women, and then around the living room. "A week quickly, or...?" 

"Tomorrow quickly" Ada replied, sucking in her teeth. "I'm going to start packing for me and Karl, and I suggest you do the same"

"Gigi..." Polly started, looking at her stepdaughter, her eyes heavy with aprehension. "Tommy can't know what is going on. How will this work? He thinks you're dead!"

"No reason for him to think otherwise, is there?" Gigi asked in return. "You go and pack up your things, bring warm clothes. We'll take care of non-essentials in Wales" 

As instructed, Ada left the room with a nod, leaving Polly and Georgia looking at each other, thinking the exact same thought, but hesitating before putting it into words. They both had a clear notion of what had to be done, but it was a decision no one should have to make. As for Ada, she would simply have to be left in the dark, without knowing about the outcome of their wordless discussion. 

"Arthur? Finn?" Gigi asked, tapping her foot on the carpet, chewing on her lip. "The wife?"

"I think I know a way around it" Polly nodded, looking down, and then at the girl in front of her. The more she stared, the more she resembled Aberama, and the bigger the determination growing inside her broken heart. "They'll never know, and neither will Ada" 

"I can't lie to her. I can't have it between the two of us" the younger woman protested, trying to take a deep breath, and feeling the air getting caught halfway to her lungs. "She will never allow us to do it, and she will never..."

"I don't have to ask for permission. This is what needs to happen. I've known it for a while, but after your father died, it became inevitable" Polly stated, the air around her becoming heavier. It was the kind of raw power Gigi herself emanated when she killed, or when she tortured. The both of them were so alike it was scary, as if Polly had birthed Georgia herself, and given her the ability to transcend human law, deciding on the fates of mortals. 

"You understand that I can never... that I can't... you can't do it" Gigi reminded, crossing her arms. "Tell me how, and I'll do it" 

"No. It's like you said. You can't have this between you and Ada"

"I already do, Polly! I will always know that we agreed to kill him, that I did nothing to try and stop you. I will always know that, and it will always be a secret! At least let me be the one who does it. If there has to be a secret, I would rather... I would... Fuck. It doesn't matter, does it? I came here to kill him, and he will be dead when I leave. And Ada will be with me, she'll be safe, and this family will too" Gigi thought aloud, exhaling through her nose. "It's for the greater good. And I believe you when you say that you know this has to happen. I trust you, Polly. I trust you, and I put my life in your hands" 

"This has to happen, sweetheart. It really does. I've seen it, I've seen it countless times" Polly responded, taking Gigi's hands on her own, and looking her right in the eyes. "You need to be happy, and you need to make my Ada happy. That's all there is. Once you leave Birmingham, don't think about Tommy Shelby again. Look ahead, and nothing else. Promise me" 

"I promise, mom" 

The word came out with no second intentions, and without any previous thought. Gigi was putting her life in Polly's hands, her love into her hands, trusting her completely. And there was only one person she would trust blindly, and that was a mother. Maybe Aberama, Georgia's father, hadn't gotten to marry Polly Gray; but the love they shared didn't need to be sanctioned in that manner, and Georgia herself didn't need a paper certificate to consider Polly the mother she had yearned for for so long. 

* * *

Tommy looked out the window, and it through that method that he saw Polly coming in. She looked pale, thinner than before, dressed in all black, but still every bit the aunt who had raised him. 

"Tommy, we need to talk" she called out, making him turn around, and exhale the smoke of his cigarette. 

"I know, Pol, I know" Tommy replied, inhaling deeply and placing his palms on the desk. The bags under her eyes mirrored his, and although Thomas Shelby was overcome with opium, he had the presence of mind to understand what was going on, and what was happening, or about to happen. 

"I wish I could say I'm sorry, but I'm not. You deserve every bit of what is happening to you" Polly informed, harsh, unforgiving, and not entirely fair. "You took too much from me, and you did it knowing I couldn't forgive you" 

"I was hoping you could see that I had my reasons, that I was trying to clean up after all of us" he explained, taking the vial from his desk, and verifying it was empty. "The messes we made, the messes I made..."

"The shit you pulled because you're greedy, because you were never satisfied with what you had, because you are ashamed of who you are and where you came from" was the only possible reply to such a weak defense. "I don't need you to agree. We both know it's true, and that's enough for me. I came here because I had to make sure someone told you the truth before it's too late" 

"Pol, Georgia Gold was going to kill me. I couldn't let her do it without putting up a fight. This whole business, this whole family, this fucking city will crumble when I die" Tommy shouted, frustrated beyond words. How was it that no one understood it? Why was everyone so quick to blame him for everything that went wrong, without thanking him for the benefits that being a Shelby finally brought? 

"You can't put a price on sleeping peacefully at night. No money in the world can pay for that" Polly argued, keeping calm, her heart not even quickening its pace. "I would be married by now. John would still be alive. Grace would still be alive. I would've met my stepdaughter without having to look over my shoulder" 

"John was killed because he was a violent, loose cannon..."

"John was killed because you created plenty of ground for him to kill and torture. He knew that you guaranteed free reign. Same with Arthur. Finn can still be saved, but only if you don't give him a playground to run around with a gun" Polly retorted, seeing the shock in Tommy's eyes. "We should never have tried to be more than who we were, Tommy. And I blame it on you" 

"Don't" Tommy advised, chucking his cigarette. "Listen to yourself, woman; you're telling me you'd rather live in a wooden wagon, travelling? How dare you come to my house, and throw all of that on my face, when we have all benefitted from what I did? I have sacrificed everything to give all of you a life beyond your wildest dreams. And this is how you repay me" 

"No one is saying you didn't mean well, Tommy. But that's gone. The Tommy I knew and loved is gone. You are no longer the man this family loved, and you're no longer the man this family needs. I don't know how, but I'm sure Shelby Brothers will survive, and so will the Peaky Blinders"

"Arthur and Finn don't have the backbone to handle business" Tommy spat, displaying a lack of consideration for his brothers that was shocking. "Ada might keep the business afloat, and Michael will have to return" 

"Ada no longer works for this company. Michael will deal with it, and I'm sure Arthur and Finn will handle the Blinders. It's time for you to go, Tom" Polly said, emotionless and cold. 

"Indeed it is, Pol. I never thought it would be you, but I should've known" Tommy chuckled, althought there wasn't a single hint of humour in his voice. "Should've paid attention to unsealed vials" 

"No, you shouldn't. You must've known it didn't taste right, and you still drank it. This is on you" Polly pointed out, and this time, Tommy laughed. He laughed like he did before France, and he kept on laughing until his lungs gave out, and his lifeless body hit the floor. 


	12. Epilogue

Ada Thorne opened the back door, a basket of clothing ready to dry in her hands. The house was pretty full, and everyone had gotten muddied from the visit to the park the day before. Even Polly's dress had suffered, and it had taken the both of them a good amount of time to get the fabric back to its original form. Karl was still at school, whereas Liz, the baby, was taking a nap. Polly was probably with her, making sure the little one was alright. As for Gigi... She was probably doing what she did best, which was looking after the cattle she grew outside of Swansea, and which sold for quite a bit of money, derived from the awards and quality. 

"Hey, gorgeous" Ada heard from somewhere behind her, in the familiar voice she had just been thinking about. "You want any help with that?"

"Hi" she replied, turning to Gigi and allowing her partner to kiss her on the cheek, and then full on the lips. There were no neighbours around, and even if there were... Gigi was quite well known in town, and no one would dare say anything negative about her, and what she did with her life. "Don't worry, I'm alright" 

"Still gonna help you" Gigi countered. taking the basket, and holding it while Ada put the items up in the clothesline. The youngest Gold couldn't stop looking at her partner, she was as gorgeous one year after they met as she was before, even more so, if possible. 

"How come you're home so early? Thought you were gonna be out there 'till the sun set" 

"I had a meeting with a butcher, and it was close to home, so I came back here instead of going all the way back" Gigi explained, seeing her own trousers going up. It was her own damn fault, after playing rugby with Karl. "Karl at school, huh?" 

"He is. If he wasn't, he would be pestering you to play football, or cricket or something like that" Ada laughed, rolling her sleeves back up after she was done. Her hair was still was flawless as ever, whereas Gigi's looked like her own personal tornado had taken a tour on her scalp. 

"I know, that's why I asked" Gigi chuckled, opening the back foor for Ada and entering the home behind her. "Shit, it's much warmer inside here. Didn't realise it was fucking freezing outside"

"It is, but you insist on running around in a cotton shirt. Are you even wearing anything under it? Something that actually is warm?" Ada asked, hands on her hips, staring at Gigi, judging her. "You're gonna get sick" she added, even if she had never seen Georgia cough, let alone be really sick. Well, not since... but that wasn't real, it had been a bad dream, one Ada had woken up from a year ago. 

"You wanna check if I'm wearing anything under here? Say no more" Gigi full-on laughed, pulling up the hem of the shirt in question, just to make her beloved giggle. "I'm wearing a bra, ain't that enough?"

"No! Bras don't do anything against the cold" Ada protested, blushed cheeks and arms around her partner. "It's warm in here" 

"Yeah, it is. You're warm too" Gigi informed, placing a soft kiss on the top of Ada's head. "I love you"

"I love you, too. And I love our life here" Ada responded, looking into Gigi's blue eyes, and seeing all the calm and security in the world. Nothing bad had happened for a year, and nothing bad would happen again. Everything was fine, and always would be. 


End file.
